ManVanNoPlan visits Munich, Wanchese, Wankbahn, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Fussen
ManVanNoPlan visits Munich, Walchensee, Wankbahn, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Fussen
Wednesday 18th of September
Bayreuth to Nuremberg, er Munich. (48.221015, 11.625432)
“Munich, the capital of Bavaria in southern Germany, is a city that blends rich history with a lively, modern atmosphere. Famous for its stunning architecture, Munich boasts landmarks like the grand Neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) in Marienplatz, with its iconic Glockenspiel, and the baroque Nymphenburg Palace. The city is also a cultural hub, home to world-class museums such as the Alte Pinakothek and Deutsches Museum.
Munich’s traditions are alive and well, especially during Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival, which draws millions annually. The Englischer Garten, one of the largest urban parks globally, offers scenic greenery and even river surfing. Known for its high quality of life, Munich balances its historical heritage with modern technology and industry, being a key centre for finance, technology, and innovation.
The city’s vibrant beer halls, cultural festivals, and charming Bavarian hospitality make it a beloved destination for visitors.“
Back in the day I joined a children’s book company, that shall be nameless, as Sales & Marketing Director, not realising at the time that the Managing Director was an egomaniac and a nutter to boot. It was a long year with two notable exceptions. First, my company car was a brand new Jaguar which was not too shabby and the second was I got to accompany one of the sales team to the Nuremberg Book Fair which I enjoyed, although I didn’t get to see too much of the city as we were staying in a hotel a short train ride away. It was also freezing cold and my flight back to Birmingham took off at the crack of dawn in blizzard conditions, but I lived to tell this tale!
So, the plan was to visit Nuremberg, but, as they say, ‘the best laid plans of mice and men…’
I’ve been having a problem for a few days with my phone signal not picking up a 4G connection which impacts on all sorts of things but the most important today is Google Maps and the ability to navigate directly to today’s destination. Just in case we were in a blind spot in Bayreuth the cunning plan was to get back on the autobahn and stop at the first services as there was bound to be a signal there. Wrong.
What added to the frustration was that The Navigator’s much older phone was picking up 4g with no problem. I phoned EE and didn’t get a promised call back which added to my growing frustration. Using The Navigator’s phone, I discovered that the one and only campsite in Nuremberg was € 37.00 (£ 30.82) a night, which was outwith the budget of ManVanNoPlan. So, it was decided to keep going and head for Munich and the stadium of Bayern Munich where motorhomes can stay as long as there are no home games for the first team or the reserves. Bayern Munich had walloped Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 at home last night so this was perfect timing to see Munich for a few days as they are playing away on Saturday.
The Allianz Stadium is right beside the motorway and we found our way to the correct car park without too many issues. After servicing the van and taking a few pictures for posterity, I picked a pitch beside a German van and that’s when our rather tetchy German neighbour kicked off, claiming that we were too close to his van.
Our habitation doors were facing each other but that is the way of the world when a continental van and a British van park next to each other. When he was politely, but forcefully, told that we were in a Stellplatz and the space we were in was for two vans and I was not for moving as I needed to connect to the electricity bollard at the other side of his van, he grew even more frustrated, especially as he proceeded to set up his table and chairs in the space between us.
You can clearly see the metal pitch dividers for two vans in the above picture. I was in no mood for his games so decided to stay inside and call EE again and have a go at them, but fair play, I got though to a girl in the technical team who sorted the problem out, whatever it was. I’ve met some lovely Welsh people in my time but this girl, who said she was from the valeees, had the strongest Welsh accent I’ve ever heard, so strong in fact that I had to put my phone on speaker so that The Navigator could help me decipher what she was saying!
As this conversation was going on the German, and now his wife, were walking to the back of the van to look at our registration plate and UK sticker, even taking pictures, and no doubt cursing us! We relaxed for the rest of the evening in anticipation of the stadium surround lighting up in homage to Bayern’s red strip, and it duly did so at 8pm. Unfortunately you can only just make out Otto’s silhouette.
Thursday 19th of September
Munich
We’ve been to Munich once before in the days of cheap Ryanair flights from the East Midlands Airport so it won’t be a huge surprise to see the centre again, but first we had to get there.
We are parked in the north car park of the Allianz Arena and the underground station is on the south side of the stadium and it is a half hour walk past what must be one of the longest multi-storey car parks on the planet.
The stadium is about ten miles north of the city centre which means there are about a dozen stops before you are deposited directly under the Marienplatz (main square) which was mobbed as it was a bright sunny day and just a few minutes before the glockenspiel on the ornate neo-gothic town hall was due to chime. We’ve seen a few other glockenspiels on this trip but this one was by far the best, hence the large crowds.
I took some pictures and had a chat with a group of men from Aberfeldy who are here for Octoberfest which starts on Saturday before we had a wander about. Any buildings damaged or destroyed in WWII have been restored to a very high standard and everywhere you looked there was a building or church in pristine condition.
I had three distinct memories of our family holiday here all these years ago. First was having lunch on the top floor of the Galeria department store which we reprised and it was pricey, but delicious. The second memory was having goulash soup from a nearby market stall, but I had no luck here as the temperature was not conducive to a warm and hearty winter’s soup.
When we were last here it was the week between Christmas and New Year in the depths of a freezing cold winter and the other memory was taking a day trip on the train from Munich to Salzburg in Austria through forests and mountains covered in snow, but due to the recent storm Boris, we will save Austria for another time.
So, instead of goulash soup we contented ourselves with refreshing drinks and an hour or so at a wine bar in the market where neither of us had wine! For some time The Navigator has wanted to try an Aperol Spritzer as it seems to be the ‘in’ drink at the moment, while I had a cooling lager. We sat for ages relaxing, taking in the surroundings and indulging in some people watching.
We continued to walk about and take in the magnificent surroundings, including an outstanding church where The Navigator had her usual contemplation. The Marienplatz seems to have a magnetic pull and you find yourself passing through it on a regular basis and as we made our way back to the U Station to head back before the rush hour, we managed to find two seats and listened to two street musicians, who, with an accordian and a flute, played some Jewish sounding music.
When we returned to Otto we sat outside until after seven o’clock in the last of the evening sunshine to rest our weary feet (14,000+ steps today) and take in the magnificent setting we were in. There is one other British van here, from Scotland as it happens, but we’ve not seen the occupants. Later on, when watching some YouTube videos on the TV we watched the highlights of Bayern Munich slaughtering Dynamo Zagreb 9-2 here on Tuesday evening.
Friday 20th September
Munich to Nachtparkplatz Obernach am Walchensee. (47.569103, 11.303807)
We finally met the other British couple just before we left this morning, and for the record, they were from Derbyshire but had bought their van from Dicksons of Perth, hence me thinking they were Scottish. We had a long chat with them before we serviced the van and attempted to leave the site.
What I didn’t realise was that I had insufficient funds on my Revolut Visa card so my card was declined when I went to pay at the machine. No problem I thought, I’ll pay the € 40 with two € 20 notes, but after putting one in, the machine duly spat out the parking ticket so I put it back in and the display showed I owed €40! I put the other €20 note in thinking it would realise I had now put in the € 40 but it still wanted another € 20 so I cancelled the transaction and retreived the parking ticket, but not my € 40.
Long story short, I spoke on the intercom and a security guard came and we eventually convinced him to let us exit the barrier and be on our way. The road out of Munich was busy and one tunnel in particular was at a standstill for ages. As we headed south on the three lane autobahn the scenery became superb with rolling wooded hills all the way until we saw the snow covered Alps in front of us and what a sight it was. They were massive and very imposing but we were not due to go over or through them into Austria, instead turn to our right along the base of the Alps and stay in Germany.
We were heading for a Stellplatz surrounded by tall trees and within yards of a lake and the drive to it, once we left the autobahn, was simply stunning and about as Alpine as you can get with traditional wooden chalets and beautiful little villages. We had one section where we had to climb the side of a mountain with tight u bends to skirt round a lake and Otto performed superbly.
Once we found the Stellplatz we decided to spend the weekend here and relax, so after lunch we drove on another ten miles or so to the beautiful village of Krün to stock up on groceries at a Lidl where the view from the car park was stunning. If there is a better view from an Aldi / Lidl car park in all of Europe it will have to be good to beat the view in Krün.
Back at the van we sat outside in the warm sunshine and had a barbecue later on.
Saturday 21st of September
Nachtparkplatz Obernach am Walchensee
“Nachtparkplatz Obernach am Walchensee is a serene overnight parking spot located near the beautiful Walchensee, one of Germany’s largest and deepest alpine lakes. Nestled in the Bavarian Alps, this peaceful site offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and crystal-clear waters. It’s a popular stop for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, providing easy access to hiking, swimming, and cycling. The quiet, natural setting makes it an ideal place to unwind and enjoy the tranquility of the area. While facilities are basic, its proximity to the scenic lake and lush forests makes it a perfect escape into nature.“
With another warm and sunny day in prospect we had a few housekeeping tasks to take care of before walking the short distance to the lake. We were at the south side of the lake so didn’t have the Alps as a backdrop for photographs, but the views were still pretty special.
A bench was found to sit on and take in the view at a place that hired out kayaks and pedalos, but no matter how hard I tried, The Navigator could not be coerced into getting in a pedalo! Instead we sat there and were amazed at both the size of the trout that were swimming about in the shallows and the size of the dragonflies which were buzzing about. I treated myself to a Magnum and we enjoyed some more time watching people in pedalos, swimming and drifting past us on paddle boards.
Back at the van we sat out enjoying the sunny afternoon, when, against my better judgement as it turned out, decided to let The Navigator cut my hair. We had bought a hair trimmer in Spain a few years ago in the ‘middle of Lidl’ on a three month trip so it had a continental two pin plug which is an important detail as I explain what happened next. The Navigator attacked the left side of my head with gusto on the number 2 setting, but after a few moments the rechargeable battery packed up and it turned out we had forgotten to bring our travel adaptor, so, until I can find a barber to fix my lopsided haircut, I had to wear a cap at all times outdoors!
When we were at Lidl for some shopping on Friday we bought two steaks, a rare event I hasten to add, and they were barbecued later in the afternoon, expertly if I say so, and as ‘Two Tier Kier’ and ‘Stingy Swinney’ have just scuppered our winter fuel allowance, it will be a long time before we eat steak again!
Sunday 22nd of September
Nachtparkplatz Obernach am Walchensee to Wankbahn. (47.504816, 11.107376)
“The Wankbahn is a popular cable car in Bavaria, Germany, transporting visitors to the summit of Mount Wank, which offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding Alps. Located near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, this cable car ride provides an effortless ascent to 1,780 meters, revealing stunning vistas of the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak, and the valleys below.
The journey itself is smooth and scenic, making it a favorite among tourists and locals alike. At the top, visitors can enjoy hiking trails of varying difficulty, offering a chance to explore alpine meadows and forests. The summit features a cozy mountain restaurant where you can relax, savor local Bavarian cuisine, and take in the impressive landscape.
Wank is often called the “sunshine mountain” due to its sunny disposition, making it a great year-round destination for both outdoor activities and peaceful mountain escapes, whether you’re hiking, paragliding, or simply soaking in the views.“
What The Navigator didn’t know at this point is that we are taking the cable car tomorrow to the top of Mount Wank which is opposite Germany’s highest mountain. Mount Wank (1,780 m = 5,839 ft) boasts unique scenic views. The Navigator is not too good with heights to say the least, so tomorrow will be interesting. By the way, Wank is pronounced Vank…
The drive to Mount Wank was very scenic and busy as I think people were making the most of the incredible weekend weather to get out into nature. The Stellplatz is pretty big and has spaces for 100 motorhomes and after parking up we went to see the lady in the hut to pay the € 29 (£ 24.32) overnight fee (our most expensive fee yet) and when I said we were going up the chairlift tomorrow morning, she advised us to go this afternoon as it may be cloudy with some rain, and certainly not as good as today.
So, after a quick bite of lunch in the van, we headed the short distance to get the cable car (€ 27.50 = £ 23.06 each) for the journey up to the summit. Now you may think that € 27.50 each is expensive, but in fact it is very cheap for Alpine cable cars here, and in Switzerland, which are around € 80 each. We had a cable-car to ourselves and for most of the journey up the mountain you are not really higher than treetop height so The Navigator was enjoying the trip, apart when I made the gondola swing about a bit…
The reason I originally planned to go up the mountain on Monday morning was that I thought it would be really busy on the weekend, but surprisingly there were no queues and we walked straight on to the gondola. At the top there is quite a large building housing a restaurant on the top level above a cafe selling drinks and ice cream. There were still patches of snow which is expected at just under 6,000 feet, but it was warm with no breeze at all and my decision to go up with just a t-shirt on was justified.
Even though there was a slight haze, you are immediately struck by the incredible views all around but especially over to the wall of mountains on the other side of the valley with the impressive Zugspitze standing out.
The summit plateau is pretty flat and we walked to a part where paragliders were taking off and we were admiring, both their skill as well as their bravery. It is the first time we have seen a paraglider taking off this close and we both could not believe that the pilot was attached to the fabric wing by what looked like string, the cords were so thin.
We managed to get a seat and sat for ages taking in the mountainous view with the paragliders soaring upwards on the thermals, and at one stage an eagle circled above us as well.
Behind the main restaurant building there is another cafe about a hundred feet above it and from the pathway we stopped to take in the view of the cable cars coming and going, when they stopped very suddenly, just dangling there, which freaked The Navigator out and she turned on her heels and went back down to near the restaurant building, not wanting to see the fate of the stuck gondolas!
I continued on to take some more pictures from the different direction and the view down to Garmisch-Partenkirchen was superb. In some of the pictures you can clearly see the gap in the trees where in winter you would ski down. Also clearly visible is the structure used for ski-jumping. When you see ski-jumping on the TV it looks so high and terrifying to hurtle down it and jump off, but here we were thousands of feet above it and it looked tiny!
After a drink at the cafe taking in the view for the last time we headed for the cable-car to descend the mountain, it was either the cable-car or a three hour walk down the mountain, although quite a few (fitter) people were walking down.
The gondolas are pretty small with room for four people but as it wasn’t busy we had one to ourselves up and down. We got in, the doors closed, and just as we were about to launch off the tower, the one in front of us came to a complete halt, as did all the others.
Bless her, but The Navigator did not see the funny side of the situation and although it may seem as though she is smiling in the next picture, she was terrified as her grip on the seat testifies!
After a minute or so we were on our way with no further stoppages on the way down thankfully. Back at the van we sat outside making the most if the evening sunshine, especially as there is the chance of rain tomorrow. There are two British campervans here and we had a chat with the young family opposite us and their two young boys told us about the journey to the top of a different mountain which involved a cog railway as well as a chair-lift with a larger gondola than here.
Monday 23rd of September
Wankbahn to Fussen (47.581632,10.700992)
When we abandoned our plan to visit the Czech Republic and Austria and their respective capital cities, one of the places I wanted to visit in Bavaria was the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle, the world famous, ultimate fairy-tale castle, and today that is where we are heading. But first, as we were given free bus tickets as part of our pitch fee, and today’s drive is only an hour, we were taking the bus from the site into Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
“Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a picturesque alpine town in Bavaria, Germany, renowned for its stunning mountain scenery, outdoor activities, and rich cultural heritage. Nestled at the foot of the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak, it offers year-round attractions for visitors, from skiing and snowboarding in winter to hiking, mountain biking, and paragliding in summer.
This town is a blend of two once-separate villages: Garmisch, with its more modern feel, and Partenkirchen, which retains its traditional Bavarian charm with cobblestone streets, frescoed houses, and quaint shops. The area is known for hosting the 1936 Winter Olympics and still draws sports enthusiasts to its world-class facilities.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen also serves as a gateway to natural wonders like the Partnach Gorge and the Zugspitze summit. Visitors can enjoy the alpine lifestyle, savor Bavarian cuisine, and immerse themselves in the region’s rich history and folk traditions, making it a top destination for nature lovers and culture enthusiasts alike.”
It is a pretty town / large village and is very alpine in appearance as opposed to the half-timbered towns we were in earlier in the trip. One of the outstanding features of both private houses and commercial buildings is the incredibly detailed paintings on part or all of the facades. They tend to be either alpine or religious scenes and are very skillfully done.
As I mentioned on Saturday we were sitting relaxing outside the van in the sunshine when The Navigator offered to cut my hair, which was in need of trimming when the battery packed in on the trimmer so one of today’s missions was to find a barber to even up my short and long side. We found one just off the main street and managed to explain to the guy how my hair looked the way it did, which he found amusing. With my hair looking normal again I could dispense with the cap at last.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen has most of the shops you find in the majority of German High Strasses with the addition of a lot more touristy shops to cater for the hoards of summer and winter visitors. Back at the van we saw the British family had left heading on into Switzerland while we here heading eastwards to Füssen, another magnet for tourists and you will see why in future pictures.
The drive of just over an hour was through stunning scenery and we arrived just after lunchtime. As we approached a small village the car in front of us jammed on his brakes which I did not appreciate at first until I saw a very sneaky speed camera on a tripod beside an unmarked white van and was thankful for the person in front spotting it, as I certainly didn’t. Further on I did notice another speed trap, this time with a policeman holding a radar gun, but his marked van and hi-viz uniform were easy to spot.
We had watched lots of YouTube videos of Füssen and the Stellplatz we were heading to and they all said you had to book ahead as it is full every night. It was also mentioned to phone before 10am to book, but that the receptionist did not speak English, so I sent an e mail with all our details and translated it into German as well.
On arrival we found the woman really did not speak a word of English as I feared and she had ignored my e mail as reservations did indeed have to be by phone. We managed to deduce from her that the site was full but she agreed to put us on an overspill car park next to the site on a reduced rate and move us into the Stellplatz in the morning so we paid for three nights. The Navigator also included two sessions on the washing machine and tumble dryer and that kept her busy for the afternoon and I typed this blog up to date. I noticed the Dicksons of Perth van of the couple we met at the Allianz Arena in Munich was here as well but we didn’t see them this time.
After almost a month of fantastic weather it clouded over later in the afternoon then started to rain in the evening and most of the night.
In the morning it was cloudy and grey but at least the rain has stopped, for now at least! We were up quite sharpish and with vans leaving the site the guy on reception said we could move in and take any vacant pitch so we were on the site and plugged in before 9am. Today the plan is to make use of our ‘free’ bus passes and explore Füssen.
Tuesday 24th of September
Füssen
“Füssen is a charming Bavarian town nestled at the foot of the Alps, near the Austrian border. Known for its medieval architecture, cobblestone streets, and idyllic surroundings, Füssen is a picturesque destination rich in history and natural beauty. The town is most famous for its proximity to the world-renowned Neuschwanstein Castle, the fairy-tale palace that inspired Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle, and its neighboring Hohenschwangau Castle.
Füssen’s Old Town features beautifully preserved buildings, including St. Mang’s Monastery and the Gothic High Castle (Hohes Schloss), both offering insights into the region’s history. The town is also a gateway to the Romantic Road, a scenic route through historic towns and breathtaking landscapes in Bavaria.
Beyond its cultural appeal, Füssen is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, offering opportunities for hiking, cycling, and water sports on the nearby Forggensee Lake. With its mix of history, culture, and nature, Füssen is an ideal Bavarian getaway.”
We are here for a specific purpose, to see what is probably the most iconic castle in the world and that is happening tomorrow, however even if it wasn’t for Neuschwanstein Castle, Füssen would be a great destination in its own right.
It is only ten minutes by bus into the town centre and the town hadn’t burst into life by the time we arrived which made it easy to walk about. There are some stunning buildings including the aforementioned St. Mangs monastry. We walked about with no particular plan of what to see but we seemed to find most of the interesting streets and buildings. The river Lech flows around the town and into the nearby Forggensee.
The river was fairly placid today but will probably be a torrent in the spring as the snow melts on the surrounding mountains. The Forggensee is a man-made lake which was built to prevent flooding and is the catchment area for all the melting snow in the spring, and is drained after the middle of October.
We found a reasonably priced bakers and had a tea and coffee sitting outside watching the world pass by. Later, for lunch we returned to a shop we had seen earlier on our walkabout. It had an array of every type of meat and sausage in the window as well as other German dishes, including goulash with potatoes but it only had a few tables so whatever we picked would be eaten standing at a table outside. One of the offers they had was for a schnitzel on a roll with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and a mildly spicy barbecue sauce. The Navigator had the chicken schnitzel and I had the pork version, both excellent choices.
We walked about for most of the afternoon but as it was clouding over we headed back to the van in the bus. For so much of the summer we never knew if we would get away into Europe so did not bother fitting a bike rack on the back and today would have been an ideal place to cycle along the river into the town. There are three Stellplatz bunched together in this trading estate along with an Edeka, Lidl and an Aldi so we gave Aldi a turn to top up on a few things but we were not that impressed and will probably stick to Lidl in Germany.
Although it is bright and sunny during the day, in the evening it gets chilly so, as we are plugged into the electricity, the heating was on to keep us warm.
COMING SOON ON THE NEXT BLOG…
The next blog will see us driving further northwards on the Romantic Road and every destination gets better and better, so don’t miss it…
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